Atletico Madrid are on course to drop further points in the La Liga title race having gone into half time of their meeting against Sevilla locked at 0-0.
The first chance of the contest fell to the home side, as Vicente Iborra played in Carlos Bacca who subsequently saw his deflected attempt kept out by Miguel Angel Moya.
Sevilla, who have lost four of their last five league games prior to this evening's clash, saw another big opening squandered shortly before the half-hour mark when Iborra's attempt at the end of an Ever Banega cross clipped the post on its way through.
Moya was the busier of the two goalkeepers as the first half wore on, with Los Rojiblancos having the better of the half-chances, but they were ultimately unable to find a way through in a goalless opening 45 minutes at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
Daniel Lewis
